Question

Define electric potential

Answer 1

Electricity has its origin in electric charge. Electric charge is the basic quantity and all matters contain electric charge. Electric current came into existence when electric charge moved. On the other hand, when the electric charge is at rest there is no electric current but an electric field exists. The electric potential and electric field are related to each other.

Complete answer:
We know that when we bring a positively charged particle towards another positive charge then they repel each other. This is due to the electric force. The electric force exists due to the presence of electric field. Electric field is defined as the region around the charged particle where another charged particle experiences its force of attraction and repulsion. Suppose we have to move a charge particle against the force of repulsion, then we have to do work. The energy that you used to move the particle away from the plate is stored in the particle as electrical potential energy. It is the potential that the particle has to move when it’s let go.
The electric potential, or voltage, or the potential difference is defined as the potential energy per unit charge between two locations in an electric field.

Note:
Electric potential and the electric field are related to each other and electric field at some distance from the electric charge is given by differential of potential with respect to distance. If at some point the electric field is zero, then at that point potential is not zero but a constant quantity. Potential difference is defined as the difference in the electric potential at two different points.